Just because we’re minimalists, doesn’t mean our house is always spotless. Anyone with a toddler can probably attest that keeping a house tidy all the time with kids around is unrealistic. Though I try to keep a tight rein on how much we bring in to our home, most days, our house doesn’t look super put-together by the end of the day. However, it rarely stays that way for long.
How can that be? With toddler’s mess, and moods, how is it possible to keep things in order? What’s our secret, you may wonder?
Enter: the 30 minute tidy-up.
At the end of the day, before bedtime, we’ve started implementing a family pick-up—for just 30 minutes. We’ve found that, with everyone pitching in, in 30 minutes we can usually:
- clean the kitchen
- tidy the dining room
- pick up the living room
- put away all of Gwendolyn’s toys
Then, with all the toys put away, and the rest of the house refreshed, we can just enjoy the rest of the evening! Even if you don’t get things perfectly in order, it still makes a huge difference.
See, I used to feel bit overwhelmed with the end-of-day mess. Some days are simply busy, and I hadn’t had time to keep the house picked up. I was also feeling quite unhappy with my mornings when they started with me having to deal with a dirty kitchen and messy living room.
As it turns out, you can actually get quite a lot done in just half an hour. Plus, it’s more motivating to clean when you’re doing it with a buddy (or buddies)!
Implementing the 30 minute tidy-up has allowed Todd and I to have more comfortable and relaxing kid-free time, and I think it’s good for everyone—most especially kids—to pitch in and make the house nice. In fact, Gwendolyn often comes to me excitedly now when she’s tidied something, and it’s super sweet.
That’s what works for us. If you’re having a hard time finding time to get your space in order, give the 30 minute family tidy-up a try! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much you can accomplish!
And, as always, let me know if it does work out for you, and any other tips for keeping your home in order.
